Test of nerve for Pietersen as England battle for pride and contracts

England on Monday face a test of temperament as they attempt to begin the Kevin Pietersen era with a victory that would at least bring some consolation from a Test season of upheaval, backward steps and controversy.

A target of 197 with all second innings wickets remaining on an excellent Brit Oval pitch should not prove beyond an England side who have looked far more like a balanced, competitive outfit here in the final npower Test than they have all summer.

But the momentum gained by South Africa through some unlikely late resistance in another enthralling day of Test cricket, and the psychological dangers inherent in batting last, mean that there are bound to be some wobbles before England record a win that would give them a 2-1 deficit rather than a 3-0 thrashing.

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A narrow defeat would be a much fairer reflection of what was meant to be a battle to decide who is the second best Test side in the world after Australia, but became a story of South African superiority, division within the England ranks and the sad departure of captain Michael Vaughan.

In truth, England have not been too far behind South Africa and, amid the usual tale of what-mighthave- beens, they would at least be able to move forward with a degree of confidence if they knock off those runs against a South African team who have been below their best for much of this dead rubber.

Statisticians will tell you that only 63 per cent of teams chasing 200 in Test history have been successful but that does not take into account the reliability of groundsman Bill Gordon's square and the modern domination of bat over ball.

Pietersen's tyres, in an expression he is fond of, should stay fully pumped after a first Test in charge.

Yet, as ever, there will be a number of sub-plots within the main drama, not least because England award their next round of central contracts on the same day, September 30, as they announce the squad to tour India.

And there are a number of players not yet guaranteed renewal. Prominent among them is Andrew Strauss, who again finds himself facing questions about his long term future at this level when he could easily have been celebrating being made permanent Test captain instead of Pietersen.

How Strauss would like to repeat his wonderful innings in the final Test against New Zealand in Napier last winter that seemed to erase any doubts that he still belonged at the very top.

Or even the hundred against the same opponents at Old Trafford earlier in this disappointing summer.

He may feel memories are short but he has yet to score 50 against a South African side who have probed the weakness outside off-stump that Strauss felt he had overcome with those two second innings tons against New Zealand.

England's Monty Panesar celebrates with Tim Ambrose after claiming the wicket of South Africa's AB de Villiers

He is again playing for his future. As, too, is perhaps the only Englishman who might welcome the early fall of a few wickets.

Even coach Peter Moores concedes Tim Ambrose is in desperate need of a score and if he does not make it to the crease on Monday, Ambrose could be left to the mercy of the selectors and the form of Matt Prior in the one-day series starting next week.

If this is to be the end for Ambrose, and a wicketkeeping partnership of Prior and James Foster for both the Test and one-day tours to India must surely be the way forward this winter, then at least he could be satisfied behind the stumps.

Ambrose, with heavy strapping on the damaged index finger on his left hand, would have begun Sunday fretting over the difficult chance he missed off Hashim Amla on Saturday, so his relief when he pouched the same batsman, despite a fumble, diving to his right off Steve Harmison was palpable.

That was the start of a productive first half of the day for England which raised hopes they would wrap up victory last night, particularly when South Africa were 168 for five at lunch, a lead of just 46, with Harmison bowling aggressively in an opening spell which saw him take two wickets in eight overs for just 12 runs.

That England still have work to do is entirely down to the combined efforts of AB De Villiers and Paul Harris, who gave South Africa some hope with a stand of 95 for the eighth wicket that provided Pietersen with the first real test of his tactical acumen in the field.

He responded with regular proactive bowling changes but perhaps was too defensive with the second new ball when he gave both Harmison and Jimmy Anderson only one slip each at a time when South Africa led by just 119 with only three wickets left.

In the end, England were relieved when De Villiers gave it away three short of his century after becoming frustrated by Monty Panesar bowling over the wicket.

The dismissal of the man who has been an integral part of South Africa's batting this series could be the key moment in a game that should still be England's. Just do not expect them to make it easy for us all to watch on Monday.